Fertilizer distributor



Jan. 25, 1938. w. A. MooRHEAD FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTOR Filed June l2, 1937 2 SheetsSheet l Jan. 25, 1938. w. A. MooRHEAD FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTOR 2 sheets-.sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1957 Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Walter A. Moorhead, Sandy Springs, S. C.

Application June 12, 1937, Serial No. 147,956

4 Claims.

My invention relates to fertilizer distributors.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character for evenly distributing fertilizer to prevent damage either to seed or young tenderv plant roots and to increase the yield of the crop by making the fertilizer more available.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which will distribute the fertilizer in a furrow in generally circularly curved paths, upon opposite sides of the furrow, so that the fertilizer may be readily mixed with the soil in hilling or covering the seed.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which will meet the requirements upon a cotton farm or other row crop farm, both as a fertilizer distributor, and as a seed sowing apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which is light, wholly practical for use where the rows are short or crooked, and may be used equally well on a level ground or a hillside.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout same,

y Figure l is a perspective view of a fertilizer distributor embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 4, parts omitted,

Figure 3 is. an exploded perspective view of the rotary spout and associated elements.

' Figure 4 is a side elevation of the machine, parts broken away, and,

Figure 5 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the machine, parts broken away.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral I0 designates a beam, having a stock II rigidly secured thereto, carrying a plow share I2. Rigidly attached to the rear end of the beam I0 are handles I3. The numeral I4 designates a pair of spaced arms, which are rigidly attached at I5 with the beam I0 and handles I3. These arms are also con nected with diagonal braces I6, as shown at I1,

held against turning movement. This sleeve is therefore xedly secured to the beam. I0 and is providedat its top with an end thrust bearing 21.- This end thrust bearing comprises a ring or flange 28, carried by the sleeve'26 and an upper ring 29, with bearing balls 21 arranged be` tween the same, as shown. Rotatable within the sleeve 26 is a depending vertical outlet or distributingtube 30, to the upper end of which is rigidly attached a horizontal bevel-gear 3|. 'Ihe hub of this bevel-gear rests upon the ring 29 of the end thrust bearing. Arranged above the tube 36 is a tubular coupling element 32,including an upper bowl 33, and a lower reduced extension 34, projecting into the upper end of the tube 30, as shown. The tubular coupling 32 preferably rotates with the tube 30.

The hopper I9 has a liner 35, preferably formed of metal, which tapers downwardly to produce a reduced bottom 36, `having an outlet opening 31. This outlet opening is directly over the tubular coupling 32 and in alignment therewith,

to discharge fertilizer, seed or the like into: the

tubular coupling. The discharge of material through the opening 31 is regulated'by a slidingv 26 preferably having a snug fit thereon, to *.be..

gate or valve 38, operating within guide grooves 39, and having a discharge opening 49, for move` ment into and'out of registration with the opening 31. The gate 38 is moved by a lever 4I, pivotally connected with the gate 38 at 42, and this lever is pivotally mounted at 43, upon a transverse bar 44, attached to the handles I 3.; Lever 4I also operateswithin a guide 45, asv sho-wn. Mounted within the hopper I9 is' a. transverse shaft 46, journaled in bearings 41, and carrying a rotary agitator 48. Rigidly attached to one end of the shaft 46 is a sprocket wheel 49, engaged by a sprocket chain 50, extending downwardly to engage a sprocket wheel 5I, rigidly mounted upon the shaft I8. Rigidly secured to the opposite end of the shaft 46 is a sprocket wheel 52, engaging asprocket chain 53, extending downwardly to engage a sprocket ing mounted upon the beam, a spout passing wheel 54. The sprocket chain 53 preferably has its ends detachably connected, so that it may be readily removed from the sprocket wheels 52 and 54 when desired. The sprocket wheel 54 is rigidly mounted upon a stub-shaft 55, journaled in a bearing 56, rigidly attached to a bracket 51, in turn rigidly attached to the adjacent plate 2|. At its inner end, the stub shaft 55 has a verticalbevel-gear 58, rigidly attachedthereto, and this bevel-gear operates within the opening 59 of the bracket 51 and permanently engages the horizontal bevel-gear 3l.

The spout 30 has its lower discharge portion 60 laterally or radially offset or bent,so. that1it11-' will discharge the material in a circular path, due .f It is preferred" that the portion 30 be adjustableto varyV its..

to the rotation of the tube 301" furrow andthe wheel I9' travels within the furrow, and the plow share I2.` operates within the furrow. 'Ihe rotation of the wheel I9 is transmitted to the shaft` 46, which drives the agitator 48,` and the rotatable tube 3l),V through the medium ofthe gearing. The gatei38 being suitably adjusted, the fertilizer passesinto the tube 3D. and is discharged upon the sides of the furrow inY generally circular. paths A, Figurel. It is `thus seen .that the fertilizer will notbe depositedk next 'to or: in contact with the seed oryoung plant,

but at` proximity thereto and.. suitably spaced' therefrom. This enables the fertilizer to become properly mixed with the soil, when the row is hilled, or during cultivation.

'I'he machine may be readilyconverted into a seeder for planting small seed, such as oats, wheat,` barley, rye, or any of the smallerseeds.

Tov accomplishrthis, the chain 53--is removed and the spout 38 adjusted so that its radial extensionv 60fwill be in alignment with the longitudinal axis of thefurrow or row. Before the chair-ris removed `the machine may be used to sow winter peasor the like broadcast, by th-e revolving spout.

An important feature of theinvention, as a fertilizer distributor, is the lightness and -easeof operation of the machine. The end thrust bearing 21 =permits of the rotation of the Ytube 30 with a .minimum friction. 'Ihe drive for ther several elements is also simple and strong. f

It is to be understood that the form 'of my invention :her-ein shown and described is to be taken as 1 aA preferred example ofthe same and -the various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of 'my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

- Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A fertilizer distributor comprising'a beam, a hopper mounted upon the beam and having an outletopening in its bottom,` anend thrust bear# through the end thrust bearing and arranged beneath the hopper and having its upper end receiving the fertilizer from the hopper, a horizontal bevel-gear mounted upon the spout above the end thrust bearing, a vertical bevel-gear mounted upon the beam and engaging the horizontal bevel-gear, a wheel for supporting the beam, a horizontal shaft extending through the hopper, an agitator mounted .Y uponsthe` shaft, gearing `,connecting thehorizontalwshaft and wheel, and gearing connecting the horizontal shaft and vertical bevel-gear.

2. A fertilizer distributor comprising a beam providedl'with a recess and a vertical opening leading into the recess, a sleeve held within the verticalopening, an end thrust bearing carried byftheupper end.of the sleeve and arranged forcingrplatessecuredI to .the opposite sides of the;

beam adjacent to`v the recess an'dxopening, a bracketzsecuredtoone plate, abearing secured to Vth-e bracket; a horizontal .stub-shaft within the bearing, a vertical bevelgear carried by the stubshaft. and engagingfthe horizontal bevel-gear, a

sprocket'wheel carried by the stub-shaft, ahoppermountedupon the beamabove the spout, av

horizontalshaft extendingthrough the-hopper,

an agitator.` on the horizontal shaft, a sprocket wheel carried by the horizontal'shaft, a remov able sprocket chain connecting the first-and sec ondnamed sprocket Wheels, a wheel for supporting the`beam,.and.gearing connecting the lasty arranged upon the opposite side of thebeam and connecting the agitator and rotatable spout;

4. A fertilizer distributor comprising a support;

al-hopper mounted upon the support and having an outlet opening nearits bottom, a rotatable spout carried by thesupport and-arranged beneath the hopper and having its upper end receiving-material from=the hopper, the spout having a lateral extension, a horizontal bevel gear mounted upon theV spout, a wheel for supporting the support, a horizontal vshaft extending through' the hopper, an-agitator mounted upon'the'shaft,

gearing connecting one endA of the horizontal shaft and "wheel, and gearing connecting theopposite-endof'the horizontal shaft and the horizontal gear'.

WALTER A. MOORHEAD. 

